No Toy Left Behind
by dooder's nin
Summary: The Nordics usually spend time together and this time would've been no different from the playful scuffling, prodding and the eventual calls for beer. But when Peter manages to get a toy stuck under the house and so, as his duties as Santa require, Tino attempts to keep Peter from going after it and getting stuck by doing so himself...with questionable, and laughable results.


It was a nice day out, birds providing a chorus background for those outside. At least, they would have been the only background noise if not for the fact that a group that had been spending the day together had become increasingly louder with one another over time. But it was warm for the time of year and so the group of five Nordic countries were taking some time outside rather than inside like they did for much of the year, relaxing on the back lawn of Sweden's house as the personification found himself unexpectedly playing host. Denmark's random visits weren't all that uncommon and Finland was almost always over the house the two of them shared along their border, but Norway and Iceland seemed to have been dragged along in the usual manner that Denmark employed to get them together and give him a reason to have copious amounts of beer. Not that Denmark couldn't do that on his own, but the others knew just how much he preferred to not be alone, history showing that in both his hostile reluctance to let anyone out of his grasp along with the modern phone calls. And despite past hostilities, Sweden found himself to be good friends with Denmark now, some distance providing the chance for their friendship to develop rather than when he'd been stuck in Denmark's house.

"So it would be so awesome if…oh, come on Icey, stop playing with your bird and have a pint." Denmark was saying, trying to get the stoic man to lighten up a little. Although, Norway's usual efforts to get the younger personification to acknowledge him verbally as his big brother had already provided a distraction for the Icelandic man.

"I might have if you hadn't already had them all." Iceland replied, Denmark shrugging with a smirk on his face as he held up his half-finished glass.

"You snooze, you lose." Denmark laughed, Norway rolling his eyes at the other Nordic man's attitude, wondering if he could reach over to smack the Dane without having to give up his seat beside Iceland. But it apparently wasn't worth the effort to Norway, the other man returning to poking Iceland in the cheek, Iceland shutting his eyes in his irritation and grumbling at his brother.

"Not to worry. I brought some extra over the last time I was here." Finland said, getting up from beside Sweden. They weren't at one of the houses he and Sweden shared, but Finland frequented Sweden's place often enough that it might as well have been, Denmark calling out for Finland to bring out all the reserves and receiving that smack to the back of the head this time from Sweden.

Finland chuckled as he went around the back of the house to the outside freezer that Sweden had just in case there was the unexpected arrival of the other Nordics. He also used it for other practical reasons than beer reserves, but Finland liked to stash away his surprises for Sweden in the freezer. Lifting the lid, he saw that Sweden either hadn't found this present left for him or had opted not to touch it until Finland returned to share it with him. He smiled fondly at the other man's thoughtfulness and gentle nature even if he didn't appear so on the outside, especially since there were still times when Finland would be unsettled by Sweden's unreadable stares.

"What are you getting out of there? May I see?" Sealand asked from behind the Nordic man, startling Finland into bumping his head on the lid of the freezer as he held it open. Sealand laughed as Finland let out a quick curse in Finnish before remembering the child's presence.

"Oh, Sealand…" Finland said, rubbing the back of his head as he looked over to see the little boy. He had almost forgotten he'd been outside as well with the usual rambunctiousness that came from these get-togethers. "Sorry Sealand. We've been ignoring you, haven't we?" Finland asked with an apologetic smile.

Sealand shrugged as he peered into the freezer. "That's alright. I was watching the telly while Sweden was busy. He thinks I watch too much of it." He said, making a face at some of the things in the freezer. "He doesn't let me look in here when it's just him and I at one of his houses. I much rather prefer when you come over. Then he's not as grumpy and you make yummy cookies." Sealand said, Finland smiling fondly and ruffling the boy's hair.

"Then I suppose I'll have to see if Mr. Sweden has any ingredients in his kitchen and we can make some later before I head home, ja?" Finland asked, smiling at how the suggestion made Sealand's eyes twinkle in delight.

"Oh yes. That would be most wonderful!" Sealand said, Finland taking out the beer and closing the lid before Sealand decided to try anything. He looked curiously at the boy as he realized that this wasn't usually where the boy would opt to play, especially if he'd been given the opportunity to take advantage of Sweden's distraction to sit in front of the television all day.

"What are you doing out here Sealand? I thought you might've stayed inside while the others were still here." Finland asked, the little boy shuffling around guiltily. "What were you up to this time?" Finland asked with a shake of his head, knowing that look from having spent so much time with the boy and acting practically as his second guardian.

"Nothing! Really…" Sealand said with wide eyes. "I was watching one of my favorite programs and I thought I could make my own version of it with my camera." Sealand said gesturing over to where he'd placed his camera on the fence to capture whatever he was doing. "I used my slingshot to shoot my action figure into the air like it flies, but it skidded into the crawlspace. I was just going to go after it myself when I saw you." He said, Finland setting the beer down on the ground to see where Sealand had indicated. "It's just out of my reach though and I thought maybe if I grabbed a stick, I might be able to…"

"No, don't go crawling under there." Finland said, bending down to see if he could spot the wayward toy. "I don't want you getting stuck. Let me try and reach it." Finland said, shimming under the house to reach forward. He grunted a few times as he got himself further into the crawlspace, finally able to reach the toy.

"Have you got it yet Finland?" Sealand asked from behind him, Finland recognizing this toy as one of the rare ones he'd gotten for the little boy and understanding why Sealand would make the attempt to go after it himself.

"Yes. I've got it. I'm going to come out now." Finland said, attempting to push himself back only to realize he'd done exactly what he didn't want Sealand to do. He wriggled a few more times but he didn't budge from where he was, only his feet and calves outside the opening.

"Mr. Finland, are you alright?" Sealand asked as he waited for Finland to come out. "You're going to be all dirty if you stay in there for too long. You should come out now. Are you sure you're alright?" He said, Finland sighing at Sealand's attempts to be helpful.

"Ugh…no…" Finland said as he continued to try and maneuver himself free. But he groaned as all that did was dig the side of the opening into his side and knock his head against the floor of the house.

"Oh! I'll go get Mr. Sweden!" Sealand said, ignoring Finland's protests at alerting Sweden to his predicament. He heard the pitter-patter of Sealand's feet as the other ran off, sighing as he awaited the inevitable drama that was sure to unfold and hoping it wouldn't be too embarrassing.

Sealand ran as fast as he could to the other personifications, eyes wide as he was on a mission to help Finland. He spotted Sweden and Denmark scuffling playfully, beers apparently forgotten as they'd waited for Finland to return with more. "Sweden! Sweden! Something's wrong with Finland!" Sealand gasped out as he ran up to the others, Sweden's surprise at the news causing Denmark to knock them both to the ground.

"What's the matter?" Norway asked as Sweden and Denmark got to their feet. Sealand looked over to Norway before looking back over to Sweden.

"He can't get up on his own. He's stuck and I can't help him by myself." Sealand said, a little unnerved by how intensely Sweden was looking at him for answers. "He's over by the freezer. He was helping me get my toy back. Come on!" Sealand said, motioning for the others to follow. He took off, Sweden close behind him as they headed for the crawlspace.

As the others followed, Denmark was the first to respond, laughing boisterously at the sight of Finland's feet kicking as he squirmed to get out of the tight area. "Oh my God! This is just too funny!" Denmark said, Finland shouting for him to shut up as he continued to try and free himself. But Sweden looked a little relieved, or as much as Sealand could guess from his usually unexpressive stare. Instead of saying anything similar to Norway or Iceland's comments about thinking there was something far worse that could've happened, Sweden bent over and grabbed the stuck man's leg's. Finland let out a shout at the unexpected hold, fueling Denmark's amusement as Sweden began to try and gently drag the other man out.

"Oh, this needs to be filmed…" Denmark said, grabbing Sealand's camera and setting it up to do just that, laughing the entire time as Sweden would make some progress with pulling Finland out to his waist, only to have to stop when Finland would ask or make a painful noise.

"I need to be harder Finland..." Sweden said, Denmark snickering at the comment, "…or you're not going to come." He said, Denmark's laughter shaking his hold on the camera.

"Don't pull so hard though. I'm going to end up hitting my head on the…" Finland was saying, cut off as Sweden gave another tug. The others heard a thud that movement produced, Iceland making a sympathetic face at the bruise that would likely form. Finland went quiet and he stopped squirming in Sweden's hold.

"I think you just knocked him out Sweden." Norway said as Finland didn't respond to Sweden's calls. "I guess that was what he was warning us about." He said, Sweden resuming his actions to help free Finland with more urgency than before. With Finland limp in his hold, Sweden was able to get Finland out completely, Sealand's toy still clutched in his hand. Sweden gently smacked the side of Finland's face, the Finnish personification groaning a little and slowly blinking open his eyes.

"Hey there Finny." "Denmark said with a smile, laughter heard in his voice as Finland looked around confusedly before looking for answers in Sweden's face.

"Sorry Finland. I was a little rough and you hit yer head. Might've knocked you out." Sweden said, slight blush on his face as Finland was propped into a sitting position. The Finnish man only blinked again before holding his head, remembering the toy in his hand as he nearly hit himself with it.

"Here ya go Sealand." Finland said, holding the toy out to the little boy, Sealand taking it with a polite 'thank you' in place of saying anything else as Finland looked to still be a little confused.

"Only you would do that for a child and his toy." Norway said with a shake of his head as he watched Sweden help Finland get back to his feet, Finland objecting to the need to be guided to no avail as Sweden didn't let go. The others could tell that Sweden felt guilty and embarrassed for having accidentally knocked the other man out briefly, Finland not aware enough yet to feel the embarrassment catch up with him.

"You sure you're alright?" Iceland asked as Finland was eased into his seat again, Denmark still laughing and holding out the camera to keep recording. Finland nodded before his eyes widened as he remembered something.

"Oh, I forgot the beer for you guys." Finland said, making to get up. "I'll go get it." He said, but Sweden's firm hand on his chest kept him from rising all the way out of the seat. Norway rolled his eyes at this, volunteering to go get the drinks to keep Finland from doing that himself. It didn't look like the bump to his head had been too damaging, but with Sweden now in protective mode, it was better to just keep Finland still.

"It would be a tragedy if we let it go to waste after all of Finland's efforts." Denmark said with a laugh, Sweden briefly glaring at the Danish man. Denmark whistled as a response before replying. "If that's how you are with buddies, no wonder people are afraid of what you might do to them…ha ha ha" Denmark said, ignoring the way that comment seemed to intensify Sweden's glare.

"Nah, Sweden's not so bad. Even if he did stick a cardboard box over me." Sealand interjected, fiddling with his toy beside Finland from his seat in the grass beside Hanatamago. Iceland arched an eyebrow at the Swedish personification, but nothing else was said by him although Denmark laughed again.

"Okay, okay….anything else anybody want to say?" Denmark asked as he scanned over the others with the camera. "No? Come on, don't leave it up to me…" He teased, resettling on Finland and Sweden for the last shot.

"Ha ha…no toy left behind…" Sealand teased right back to Denmark, the older personification laughing at Sealand's appropriate remark as he watched Finland sag a little back into the chair in embarrassment as everything caught up with him. Sweden gently patted Finland on the shoulder as Norway walked up behind them with the case of beer that Finland had left behind. Shouting gleefully at the refill of beer for his glass, Denmark switched off the camera to return to the happy atmosphere that had been supplemented by Finland's efforts to help Sealand retrieve his lost toy. But they all knew that Sealand might not get that camera back right away if Denmark had his way.


End file.
